Sleep is an important part of our health.
Nutrition experts say when you eat is more important than what you eat to improve your sleep.
“Imagine eating a big stale steak. I have no qualms about it. I think steak is great, but if you get too close to bed, you’ll break down certain foods too close to bedtime.” It takes me so long to get back on track that I sometimes toss and turn,” said Yashi Ansari, a registered dietitian at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Thus, foods high in protein foods that may be high in certain fats.
The same goes for spicy or sour foods like tomato sauce.
But it can vary from person to person. It can also disrupt sleep if you don’t want to go to bed hungry.
Good foods before bed include those high in potassium, magnesium, and tryptophan.
“We hear about Thanksgiving turkey, but it’s not just turkey,” Ansari said. “It could be other lean proteins and even dairy products that contain tryptophan. It also helps in generating
Tryptophan is found in dairy products such as Greek yogurt and cottage cheese.
For something high in magnesium and potassium, nuts, seeds, avocados, and bananas are great bedtime snacks.
She says she keeps a log of what she eats before bed each night to help her see what helps her sleep best.
